Air-brake hose-coupling



-(No Model.) 2 SheetsSheet 1. J. R. BRAGG 8; J. M. MOYERSJ AIB BRAKE HOSE COUPLING.

Patented Feb. 20

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S'ra'rns JAMES R. BRAGG AND JAMES M. MOYERS, OF RICHMOND, VIRGINIA.

AIR=BRAKE HOSE-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 515,142, dated February 20, 1894.

Application filed July 21, 1893. Serial No- 4=8l,16l. (N0 model.) I

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JAMEs R. BRAGG and JAMES M. MoYERs, citizens of the United States, residing at Richmond, in the county of Henrico and State of Virginia, have invented a new and useful Air-Brake, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to improvements in air-brake systems for cars; and the objects in view are to provide an air-brake system with means whereby when a car or cars become detached from the main train their brakes will be instantly and automatically applied so as to arrest their motion,whi1e the brakes upon the main portion of the train or that preceding the detached portion will remain off and hence no rear collision can take place by reason of the accidental break.

Heretofore accidents have oftentimes occurred by reason of thedetached portions of a train plunging into the main portion of the preceding section, for the reason that when the break occurred all of the brakes are applied throughout the train and the engine with its portion instantly stops and the rear or detached portion collides with the front section, greatly injuring the rolling stock and oftentimes sacrificing many lives and creating delays on the road. By our invention we propose to so construct the coupling-heads of the brake-pipe, or to locate in said brake-pipe at any suitable point, valves and their mechanism, whereby when a break occurs the rear valve of the rear car of the preceding section automatically closes, and the valves of the detached section will remain open and hence permit of the escape of compressed air and automatically apply the brakes to the wheels thereof and thus arrest the motion, so that it is impossible for the rear section or detached portion to follow and collide with the preceding section, whereby, as before stated, injuries resulting in accidents, which are of frequent occurrence, are obviated, as is also loss to the rolling-stock of the road.

With these general objects in view, and others hereinafter apparent, the invention consists in certain features of construction to be hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the drawings:-Figure 1 is a perspective view of a coupling-head in which is embodied our invention, the same being preferably employed therein. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view thereof. Fig. 3 is a transversescctional View. Fig. 4 is a detail in perspective of the valve-guide. Fig. 5 is a detail in perspective of the valve. Fig. 6 is a detail in perspective of the not or gland. Fig. 7 is a similar view of the rotatable key or locking-cap. Fig. 8 is a detail view of the gasket.

. Like numerals of reference indicate like parts in all the figures of the drawings.

The coupling-head 1 we have adopted as the preferred form of casing for our invention, though as before stated we do not limit our invention to an application to said head but may locate the valve and its auxiliaries in any portion of the brake-pipe2 and hence would have it understood at the outset that we do not limit our invention to the precise details of construction herein shown and described but hold that we may make such variations as may be deemed expedient and necessary without sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention or departing from the spirit and scope thereof. The couplinghead 1 is of the usual external appearance for the most part and is-therefore adapted to couple with those ordinarily employed in airbrake systems of this class, that is where the brakes are applied by an exhausting of the air within the brake-pipes. The head of course is hollow, and is provided upon its face with the usual circular opening 3 in which is seated the rubber gasket 4. This gasket 4 is circular and fits at one end within the opening beyond which it extends at either side and'is provided with an annular flange 5 at the inner side of the opening. Against this annular flange 5 and encircling the inner end of the gasket is the annular base 6 which is formed on the valve guiding cup or casing 7 which is provided with ports 8 at intervals in its side. valve casing is provided with a square hole 9, two of the opposite angles of which merge into triangular recesses 10. The valve-body 11, preferably formed of hard rubber, is seated for reciprocation within the casing and is of such diameter as to fit the annular ring 6 of said casing. The under side of the body 11 is provided with the usual winged The outer end of the stem 12, while the upper side is provided with the stem 13 which is square in crosssectlon and adapted to fit the opening 9 in the outer end of the casing and to loosely reciprocate therein. Wings or lugs 14 are formed at diametrically opposite angles of the stem 13 and are designed to pass through and. beyond the triangular recess 10 into which the angles of the opening 9 merge. A coiled spring 15 is interposed between the top of the valve casing and the valve-body and serves-to compress the valve against the gasket and hence close the opening in the coupling-head. The outer side of the couplinghead is provided with a threaded opening 16, and in the same is threaded a nut 17, which is provided with a polygonal body-portion 18 designed to receive a wrench, whereby its apphcation or removal is facilitated. The nut 1s provided with a reduced boss 19 upon its outer side, whose edge is provided for a quarter of its circumference with arecess 20. A rubber gasket or packing-ring 21 surrounds theo boss 19 and rests against the face of the nu 22 designates the outer annular portion of a locklng-cap or key, and the same has formed upon its inner face an internal annular collar or boss 23 and an external annular collar or boss 24, the same combining to form an intervening space, and the first mentioned collar or boss projecting some distance beyond the external collar or boss and having an external thread. The internal collar or boss fits and engages threads within the boss 19, and the external collar or boss 24 incloses said boss 19, and is by means of said threads drawn snugly against the gasket or packingring 21. The internal collar or boss 23 is provided at diametrically opposite sides with openings 25 and between the same with internalcnrved shoulders 26. A limiting-screw 27 is passed through the cap and takes into the recess intermediate the two collars or bosses thereof, and also into the recess 20, whereby the rotation of the locking-cap or key upon the boss 19 is limited and only a quarter rotation permissible. The outer end of the screw carries a pointer 28, the function of which will hereinafter appear. It will be observed that the cylindrical portion 17 of the nut receives the outer end of the valve-case, and hence secures the same snugly upon the flange of the gasket of the coupling-head.

Interposed between the inner end of the cap or key and the outer face of the nut 17 is a rubber gasket or packing-ring 17*, the same having an inner annular flange axially disposed and provided at its outer side or face with a V-shaped recess, against which the inner end of the cap or key impinges, so that, as will be obvious, the cap or key may be rotated without destroying the efliciency of the packing or joint.

This completes the construction, and the operation thereof may be described as followsz-When the two coupling-heads are brought together in the usual manner for coupling, the valves are of course, as is usual, pressed inward from their sides so that communication is established between the two heads and the thus joined brake-pipes. When a Valve is forced from its seat the outer end of its stem passes into the collar or boss 23 that is provided upon the locking-cap which has been turned so that the logs on said stem will pass into or register with the openings 25 formed in the boss, when this has been done a quarter-rotation of the locking-cap or key causes the shoulders 26 of the collar or boss 23 to move in front of said lugs, and hence prevent any movement of the valve tending to close the same uponits seat. In this manner the valve of the coupling-head at the front of each car throughout a train is locked from its seat, the valves of the rear heads being left free to automatically close by the pressure of air whenever a break, either accidental or purposely, takes place. Now if at any time, a break should occur in the train, it will be seen that the rear valve of the front or main section to which the engine is attached would instantly close and the brakes remain off, so that section proceeds upon its way. But the valve in the front head of the front coach or car of the detached section is locked against closing, and hence the pressureof air within thebrake-pipes of the one or more coaches composing the detached section is immediately lowered, and, as a consequence, the brakes are immediately gradually applied in accordance with the rapidity of the escape of air and'the consequent reduction of pressure, so that as a result the main section to which the engine is attached proceeds upon its Way out of the path of the rear detached section, and the brakes of the latter are instantly, automatically, and gradually applied until the movement of said section is entirely arrested.

By the employment of our invention many serious accidents are avoided. It will also be seen that bythe employment of our-invention the coupling-head is not interfered with in any way and may be readily coupled with any similar head. When the valves are unlocked they serve their usual functions of closing the heads and preventing the admission of dust. 7

Having described our invention, what we claim is- 1. The combination with the brake-pipe of a system, of a valve-easing located therein and over an escape opening, a valve having a stem mounted in the casing and projecting beyond the same and adapted to close the opening, said stem having lugs at one end and devices for locking said valve away from its seat comprising an external locking cap mounted over the opening formed in the outer side of the casing in line with the valve seat, and having shoulders to engage the lugs of the stem, substantially as specified.

2. The combination with the coupling-head of a brake-pipe, a valve-seat located in the opening thereof, and a valve seated in the opening, of means for locking the valve away from the seat, the same consisting of an external locking-cap mounted over-and closing an opening formed in the outer side of the head in line with the valve-seat, and engaging devices carried by the cap and valve, substantially as specified.

3. The combination with the coupling head of a brake-system, of a valve seated in the opening thereof, a winged valve-stem carrying a valve-body mounted in the opening and having an outwardly extending stem provided with lugs, a spring for normally closing the valve against its seat, and locking devices for engaging the lugs of the outwardly extending stem and locking the valve-body away from the opening, said devices consisting of the external locking-cap 22 mounted over and closing an opening formed in the outer side of the head in line with the valveseat and provided with shoulders to engage ghealugs of the stem, substantially as speciat. The combination with the coupling-head of a brake-system, and a valve-seat located in the opening thereof, of a valve-casing having openings and surrounding the opening in the head, a valve-body mounted in the casing and having a stem provided with lugs, a spring for normally closing the valve, and means for locking the valve-body away from its seat, said means consisting of an external lockingcap 22 mounted over and closing an opening formed in the outer side of the head in line with the valve seat and provided with shoulders to engage the lugs of the stem, a pointer carried by the cap, and devices for limiting itihgrotation of the cap, substantially as speci- 5. The combination with the coupling-head of a brake-system, of an external locking-cap mounted over an opening formed in the outer side of the head in line with the valve-seat, an intermediate valve arranged to close against the seat, and mutual engaging devices carried by the cap and stem of the valve, substantially as specified- 6. The combination with a coupling-head having an opening, of a valve for closing the opening, and an external locking-cap arranged over an opening aligning with the valve and formed on the outer side of the head, and mutual engaging devices located on the valve and cap, substantially as specified.

7. The combination with a coupling-head having an opening, a gasket seated therein, a casing surrounding the opening, a valvebody mounted in the casing and having a stem at each side thereof, one of which projects beyond the opening and the other through an opening in the casing, lugs formed on the stem, a locking-cap mounted over an opening at the opposite side of the couplinghead and provided with an inwardly disposed collar having opposite shoulders adapted to tween the valve-body and the casing and.

adapted to normally close the valve against its seat, lugs formed on the opposite sides of the stem, and a cap mounted over an opening in the outer side of the head and provided with an inwardly extending boss having opposite shoulders for engaging the lugs, substantially as specified.

9. The combination with a coupling-head having an inner and an outer opening, a rubber gasket seated in the inner opening, avalve casing surrounding the inner opening and having openings in its side and end, a valvebody mounted in the casing, a winged stem at the inner side of the body, a stem square in cross-section at the outer side of the body and provided with opposite lugs, the whole conforming to the opening in the casing through which it passes, a nut located in the opening at the outer side of the head and bearing against the casing, said nut being provided with an outer annular boss, a cap having an inner and outer boss embracing the boss of the nut, the inner boss of the cap being provided with opposite openings, and internal shoulders for engaging the lugs of the stem and externally threaded to engage the threads in the boss of the nut, substantially as specified.

10. The combination with the coupling-head having the inner and outer openings, the outer ones having threads a nut having an inner annular end engaging the threads, said nut being provided with an external polygonal body-portion and at its outer side provided with an annular boss, internally threaded and having one edge provided with a quadrant- IIO shaped recess, a cap mounted upon the boss and having inner and outer spaced apart bosses embracing the boss of the nut, the inner boss having internal shoulders and opposite notches and externally threaded to engage the threads of the boss of the nuts, a rubber packing ring interposed between the polygonal face of the nut and the external boss of the cap, a limiting screw passed through the cap between its bosses and engaging the quadrant-shaped recess of the boss of the nut, and having an indicator, of a rubber gasket seated in the inner opening of the coupling-head and having an external flange, a cylindrical casing encircling the gasket and resting on the flange and having side openings and at its outer end a rectangular opening which merges at two of its opposite angles in triangular openings, a valve-body mounted for movement in the casing,a winged stem at the inner side of the body projecting through the gasket, a spring resting on the body and adapted to close the same against its seat, a stem rectangular in cross section at the outer side of the valve body and conforming to the opening in the casing, and opposite shoulders formed on the stem and adapted to engage with the internal shoulders of the inner boss of the cap, substantially as specified.

11. The combination with a coupling-head and its valve, of a nut at the outer side of the coupling having a reduced threaded portion, and a locking cap or key for the valve threaded on said portion, and a rubber gasket interposed between the inner end of the cap-key and the outer face of the nut and having an inner annular flange axially disposed whose JAMES R. BRAGG. JAMES M. MOYERS.

Witnesses:

H. A. NIGHTINGALE, W. M. LOWRY. 

